Baseball Splits On Day Three Of The RussMatt Invitational

Sterner walks off Falcons in 3-2 victory over Raiders

Davenport, FL: The Fitchburg State baseball team a pair of non-conference contests today on day three action of the 2024 RussMatt Invitational as the Falcons dropped a 13-1 decision to the Eagles of Benedictine University in the opener before rallying for a 3-2, walk-off victory over the Raiders of MSOE in the nightcap.

THE BASICS:

- Date: 3/11/24

- Score: Fitchburg State 1, Benedictine 13 (GM1)

- Score: Fitchburg State 3, MSOE 2 (GM2)

- Records: Fitchburg State (3-4, 0-0 MASCAC), Benedictine (9-0, 0-0 NACC)

- Records: Fitchburg State (4-4, 0-0 MASCAC), MSOE (1-3, 0-0 NACC)

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game One

-  Benedictine opened the scoring in the top of the third as graduate student DeShawnte Carraway (Harvey, IL) ripped a run scoring double down the leftfield line that scored sophomore Logan Gregorio (Naperville, IL) before junior Chase Hanselman (Neenah, WI) added a two-run double down the leftfield line for the 4-0 margin.

- The Eagles pushed the lead to 9-0 in the following frame with Gregorio, graduate student Kevin Bushnell (Tinley Park, IL) and Carraway registering RBI base knocks. Fitchburg State answered in the bottom of the fifth when junior Matthew Smith (Flanders, NJ) singled through the left side, advanced to second on walk by newcomer Luke Sterner (Stafford, VA) and scored on an RBI single to right from junior Jake Santulli (Wolcott, CT) to make the score 9-1. Benedictine secured the victory in the top of the sixth, plating four runs, resulting in the 13-1 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  First ever meeting between Fitchburg State and Benedictine on the baseball diamond with the Falcons 0-1 all-time when taking on the Eagles

-  Santulli led the way for the Falcons, going 1-of-2 with an RBI

-  Smith added one hit and a run scored for the Green and Gold

-  Junior Jason Bickford (Exeter, NH) took the loss for Fitchburg State, giving up eight runs (7 earned) on six hits and one K over 3.1 innings of work

-  For the Eagles, Carraway finished 3-for-3 with two doubles, three runs scored and three RBI

-  Hanselman chipped in with one hit, including a double and three RBI

-  Graduate student Andrew Kurcz (Huntly, IL) picked up the win for Benedictine, allowing one hit with one strikeout and one walk over four innings of work

HOW IT HAPPENED: Game Two

-  MSOE grabbed the lead in the top of the third when they loaded the bases on a single from senior Kyle Labedz (Mokena, IL) and walks by junior Jack Kalitowski (Barrington, IL) and senior Brandon Beauchamp (Neenah, WI) before senior Blake Hall (West Bend, WI) drove in Labedz with fielders' choice for 1-0 lead.

- The Raiders doubled the lead (2-0) in the top of the fifth when Beachamp singled to left field, scoring freshman Christian Bosque (Palmetto, FL). Fitchburg State knotted the score at 2-2 in the bottom half of the fifth with sophomore Adam Koza (Windham, NH) reaching on a single to left field, moving third on base knock off the bat of Santulli, and stealing home before senior Matthew Kelly (E. Bridgewater, MA) followed with a run scoring single to left that plated Santulli.

- The Falcons walked off with the win in the bottom of the ninth when Santulli singled up the middle, advanced to second on a single to shortstop by Kelly and crossing the plate on an RBI single from Sterner, resulting in the 3-2 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  This afternoon's contest marked the first ever meeting between Fitchburg State and MSOE with the Falcons 1-0 all-time when taking on the Raiders

-  Kelly paced the Falcons, hitting 3-of-4 with an RBI

-  Sterner added three hits, including a double and one RBI

-  Junior Justin Maheu (Windham, NH) picked up the win for Fitchburg State, allowing two hits and walking three over two innings of relief

-  For the Raiders, Beauchamp finished 2-for-4 with an RBI

-  Hall chipped with an RBI

-  Senior Taylor Gronert (Menasha, WI) gave up two runs on six hits with eight strikeouts over seven innings of work in a no decision for MSOE

UP NEXT:

- Fitchburg State returns to action on Wednesday when they take on the Polar Bears of Bowdoin College for a non-conference twin bill, starting at 12:00PM.

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